The Soviet Union needed a penalty-shot shootout to beat the United States, 4-3, at the Tacoma Dome and win the Goodwill Games hockey gold medal. It was the closest the Americans have come to beating a Soviet national team in an international event since 1980 and the Miracle on Ice in the Lake Placid Olympics. The United States led, 3-2, in the final minute, but Valeri Kamensky sent the game into overtime with his third goal with 21 seconds left.

Mike Richter of the New York Rangers made 22 saves and set a franchise record by extending his unbeaten streak to 20 games with a 6-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators Sunday night at New York. Richter, 17-0-3 since losing at Tampa Bay 4-1 on Oct. 22, surpassed the mark of 19 games (14-0-5), set by Davey Kerr in the 1939-40 season, the last in which the Rangers won a Stanley Cup.

The U.S. Olympic hockey team will have essentially the same lineup against Germany today as it did in its 6-3 victory over Italy Sunday, but its strategy will be slightly different. Coach Dave Peterson plans to emphasize speed in his game plan, hoping his team's swiftness can offset the Germans' size and age. Germany defeated the Peterson-coached United States team, 4-1, at Calgary in 1988. "They're never easy," Peterson said.

Michigan State came to Southern California with an 8-8-4 record, its worst start in a decade, but the Spartans are going home with momentum, a confidence boost and another Great Western Freeze-Out hockey championship. The Spartans defeated No. 4 Boston College, 3-2, Friday night at the Forum despite being outshot, 42-18. Walter Bartels scored the game-winner on a breakaway down the right side off a perfect feed from Kelly Harper 2 minutes 17 seconds into the final period.

David Delfino never knew his grandfather, Domenic. But his ancestor will be his inspiration Sunday, when Delfino dons the uniform of the Italian Olympic hockey team and faces his friends and former college rivals on the U.S. Olympic hockey team. Delfino grew up in Medford, Mass., where his parents still live, and was a goalie for Lowell University. His grandfather's Italian birth enabled Delfino to fulfill a dream that would otherwise have gone unrealized.

Stephen Heinze had no idea where his quick wrist shot came from Thursday night. Neither did Minnesota goaltender Jeff Stolp, who was beaten twice by Heinze's quick trigger as fourth-ranked Boston College upset the top-ranked Golden Gophers, 3-2, in the second Great Western Freeze-Out at the Forum.

The San Jose Sharks are brimming with confidence. The Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils wonder where theirs went. Mike Ricci scored the winning goal nine minutes into the third period Tuesday night to lead the Sharks to a 3-2 victory over the sinking Devils at East Rutherford, N.J. The Devils lost their sixth in a row and extended their winless streak to seven. New Jersey, with 15 points at 6-8-3, is tied with the New York Islanders at the bottom of the Atlantic Division.

U.S. Olympic hockey Coach Dave Peterson wore a button on his suit jacket to honor the late Bob Johnson, former boss of USA Hockey and coach of the Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins. The button reads, "It's a great day for hockey," one of Johnson's favorite sayings. Team USA wore a shoulder patch embroidered with that phrase during its pre-Olympic schedule.